ATF to postpone ban on AR-15 bullets

SAN ANTONIO – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has decided to postpone their ban on the two 5.56 mm "green tips" bullets used in the popular AR-15 rifle.

When bureau officials proposed the framework that would ban the bullets, they received 80,000 comments mostly against the ban.

They later announced they would not ban the bullets -- at least for now.

The bureau not only heard from the public, they also heard from Congress. U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the director of the ATF Todd Jones with several concerns.

The letter was accompanied by 237 signatures from both Republican and Democratic members of the House.

Several representatives from around the San Antonio area also signed the letter in support.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Dist. 28) sent this statement:

"The proposal by ATF was an over-reaching standard that would have banned a type of ammunition that Texans use in a safe and law-abiding way an overwhelming amount of the time, and would have done so without accomplishing its goal of protecting the police officers that bravely serve our communities every day. The retraction of this proposal is a win for the Second Amendment and for law-abiding gun owners in Texas and across the country."

Rep. Will Hurd (R-Dist. 23) released this statement:

"This is another example of executive overreach from this administration. As an unwavering supporter of the Second Amendment and lifelong member of the NRA, I will continue to fight against any effort to undermine the right to bear arms. Infringing upon the rights of law-abiding gun-owners doesn't make anyone safer."